An incredibly cute romance between teen entrepreneurs and their competing school businesses
—Amanda Khong, Bookish Brews
Bookish Brews Snapshot
Made in Korea by Sarah Suk
Valerie Kwon is the star entrepreneur at school with her K-Beauty business and she wants nothing more than to finish her senior year strong and take her halmeoni on her dream trip to Paris. Until the new kid in class starts selling K-pop branded beauty products and steals her customers.
✨ Low Conflict 🍃 Easy Reading 💘 Rivals to Lovers 🌳 Family Focused
- Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Book Review
Sweet, fun, validating, easy-reading, business-oriented, fluffy, and cute
Made in Korea was definitely a nice, easy, fluffy, fun read. It’s another perfect beachy YA romance. I was immediately sold at the premise of two teenage entrepreneurs falling in love, but I didn’t expect it to be this delightfully breezy — in the best way! I thought it was so cute I read it in a single day! Sarah Suk made a wonderful YA romcom featuring Korean-Americans and it was downright delightful!
Val is starting her senior year of high school with a booming business selling Korean skincare products out of her locker. She just has to keep doing what she’s doing and maybe she will be able to prove to her parents that V&C K-Beauty is more than just a cute hobby! That is until the new kid at school starts selling competing products and ruins her plans. Will these two business enemies be able to set aside their differences?
I loved how both Val and Wes were dealing with the high expectations of their parents. I especially loved how they both were dealing with it in completely different ways. It was really nice to be able to see two different perspectives of a similar struggle in the same book. The way that readers are able to compare and contrast the pressures of their parents was really wonderful to see. They each have different dreams, and neither of them is the safe stability that their parents want for them, but they both are willing to fight for it and risk the uncertainty.
One thing that wasn’t my favorite was Val’s personality. She was a bit annoying in her desperation to save her business, but at the same time, it was completely understandable. The way that we learn about how she was raised and the way her family treats her about her business make it easy for the reader to see why she is a bit annoying. It’s desperation to try to prove herself to her parents. Having a character remain likable, through annoying personality traits, is such an impressive balance, and I loved how Sarah Suk was able to create that. So though Val made some annoying decisions, the writing for it was well done! It really allows her to grow a lot by the end, and it was really nice.
Relatedly, I am always such a huge fan of the characters overcoming the high expectations of their parents and the communication that is involved to get there. I am never tired of parents explaining to their kids that the reason they have high expectations is that they want better than they had. It is so sweet and so important to read in YA books. It is such a comforting read and it never fails to make me cry. The family moments in this book did not disappoint!
Made in Korea is a delightful YA romcom about Korean American teen entrepreneurs. It is a fluffy, quick, feel-good book that is a perfect easy read for summer. It was one of those books I just couldn’t put down until I was done, and I was smiling the whole time!
Book Club Questions
- Did you or anyone you know run a small business in high school? How did it work for them? Did the school support them like they do in this book?
- How do you feel about teens running businesses out of their lockers? Do you think that it is good for them to grow and learn or do you think that they should get a traditional job instead? Did you agree with Val’s parents view of her business?
- What are some good businesses that teenagers can start? What lessons do you think this business could help teach teens? Would you (or will you) help your teen start a business? How could you help?
- How do you feel about both Val and Wes’ parents pushing them to be traditionally successful? How do you feel Val and Wes both wanting to pursue non-traditional careers reflects how well their parents have been able to give them a better life? Do you think that it is proof that they grew up with a better life or a failing on teaching them the importance of finding a “steady career?”
